...Baby One More Time

On Tuesday, theater owner James L. Nederlander announced he is producing a new stage show featuring songs by the princess of pop herself, Miss Britney Jean Spears.

According to a press release, the musical comedy — titled Once Upon a One More Time (a play on Spears’ debut single “…Baby One More Time”) — isn’t based on the pop star’s life and won’t follow the traditional fairy tale format either. Rather, “when Cinderella, Snow White, and other fairytale princesses gather for their book club, a rogue fairy godmother drops The Feminine Mystique into their corseted laps, spurring a royal revelation: Could there really be more to life than bird-made dresses and true love’s kiss?” We’ll bet there’s some pretty wild choreography and costuming to accompany this big revelation.

The musical will be set to Spears’ song and will feature an original book by Jon Hartmere (The Upside, bare), with direction by Tony nominee Kristin Hanggi (Rock of Ages) and choreography by MTV Video Music Award nominees Keone and Mari Madrid (Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself”, World of Dance).

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“I’m so excited to have a musical with my songs – especially one that takes place in such a magical world filled with characters that I grew up on, who I love and adore,” says Spears. “This is a dream come true for me!” The singer announced in January she would be taking a hiatus from work and canceled her upcoming Vegas residency to look after her ailing father.

Nederlander adds: “Throughout her career, Britney has captivated fans across the globe with her singular brand of energy and resilience. For three years, we have been working closely with her to develop a concept that perfectly encapsulates her unique spirit, and are so thrilled to finally bring this joyous and electrifying show to the stage.”

Once Upon a One More Time will have its world premiere this fall at Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre with preview performances beginning Oct. 29, 2019 and opening night scheduled for Nov. 13. The limited engagement will run through Dec. 1, with hopes of transferring to Broadway. Tickets go on sale on Sunday, Aug. 4.

The production replaces the planned premiere of the Michael Jackson musical Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, which canceled its Chicago engagement last month but is still planning to open on Broadway in 2020.